Scottish processing body elects Amber Knight as first chairwoman

MacNeil Shellfish’s Amber Knight was unanimously chosen to lead the Scottish Seafood Association at the seafood processing body’s annual general meeting.

At Larkhall, Scotland-based MacNeil Shellfish, Knight directs the company’s export business of live crustaceans to the European Union and other global markets. 

SSA Chief Executive Jimmy Buchan said he believed Knight was the right selection to help steer the industry through a very challenging and uncertain time.

“The executive has demonstrated diversity and collaboration with all the seafood sector, which demonstrates beyond doubt that the SSA is the voice of the processing sector across Scotland,” he said.

The SSA also elected Macduff Shellfish Director of Sustainability and Public Affairs Andrew Brown as its new vice chairman.

Brown said he looked forward to helping Scotland’s processing sector shape its future. Both Knight and Brown said they looked forward to working with Buchan in serving all SSA members in making sure the industry has a voice in governmental decisions affecting it.

Last month, in a face-to-face meeting, the SSA demanded urgent action from U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on labor shortages in the seafood industry. Buchan outlined to Johnson how Brexit and COVID-19 had combined to create “a perilous situation” for companies, with production and export capacity severely reduced. Along with members from the catching sector, he said the Brexit deal had fallen far short of expectations, and also sought an assurance that the government would work closely with the industry to resolve its Brexit-related problems. 

According to Buchan, Johnson agreed that a campaign was required to encourage young people into the industry and also that there was a need for direct action to stem the loss of overseas workers that has occurred since 1 January. 

Photo courtesy of MacNeil Shellfish